Review: Mortlach 1994 Cadenheads Small Batch

Back to the Mortlach but an independent bottling from Cadenheads and from a bourbon cask. In other words a polar opposite from the current official range of Mortlach's including the asking price!

Mortlach is synonymous with sherry casks and its rich meaty characteristics. We've all heard the 2.81 marketing waffle from the official sources but truth be told Mortlach hasn't been the same since the early 1990's when they started to try and figure out the convoluted process at the distillery. A few changes later and those old fella's (I talk to now and again) go into mourning for the old stuff rather than what's been produced since.

This sample was kindly provided by the Jolly Topper himself and was adorned with this signature coding system. So my tasting notes were pieced together blind and I'd always recommend tasting whisky this way whenever you can.

Distillery: Mortlach
Distilled: 1994
Bottled: January 2015 (20 years old)
Strength: 53.4%
Price: if you can find it around £65

Colour: pale wicker basket

Nose: well I wasn't expecting this mossy mix with pear drops, white grapes and lemonade. There's the freshness of whipped cream, an oily texture and oddly of all fennel.

Taste: more fresh moss after I've scrapped it off a concrete slab, very bold grapefruit and an autumnal persistence. The lasting legacy is an ashy taste and finish.

Well, this was a Mortlach experience certainly more memorable than the entry level Rare Old bottle that's for sure. Whether its a journey I'd want to repeat again I'm not entirely sure - I could see myself half way down the bottle still debating if this was enjoyable or not. At least it's another block in the building of dramming experience.